1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to translucent or transparent devices having illumination sources therewith. More particularly, the present invention comprises a series of different embodiments of an elongate, translucent element having an electrical conductor passage or channel therethrough or therein, with electrically powered lighting means illuminating the translucent element from one or both ends thereof. Various means are provided for concealing the wiring within the elongate element, as well as other variations upon the present invention.
2. Description of the Related Art
Innumerable elongate tubular and cylindrical rod supports, columns, stands, rails, bannisters, etc., are conventionally used in a multitude of widely varying devices and structures. Examples of such are poles or columns for floor lamps; columns for suspending ceiling fans and ceiling mounted lights therefrom; tubular bumper and grille guard structures in motor vehicles, particularly for pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles; roof racks, laterally mounted steps, and the like for such vehicles; and bridge, highway, and other guardrails, bannisters, and balusters. While the above list is relatively comprehensive, it should be understood that it is not all-inclusive, and that many other elongate structural elements are known.
A universal characteristic of such elongate elements, is their lack of internal or integral lighting therewith. This is an important consideration, widely recognized by traffic engineers. It is common for such structures to be illuminated by reflective or phosphorescent tape, paint, or other means when used in the highway or roadway environment, and/or to provide external flood or spot lighting of such structures to alert motorists as to their location and proximity. Also, motor vehicles themselves are universally fitted with various lighting elements, particularly larger trucks with their side mounted clearance lighting. However, where other structural assemblies are provided, e.g., bumper and grill guards, rollover structures and roof racks, etc., they are universally lighted with only reflective elements, if at all.
In addition, there are innumerable elongate rails, guards, bannisters, columns, etc. which are normally a part of the interior architecture and/or structure of many, if not most, building structures, both in the home and in commercial establishments. Typically, these structures are not directly illuminated from within, but where any illumination is provided at all, it is from some secondary, supplementary light source, and/or reflective or phosphorescent coatings (paint, tape, etc). The need for high visibility for such structures is well known, as evidenced by the widespread use of reflective tape and the like upon such structures, as well as along the edges of stairway treads and the like in relatively poorly lighted areas. Still other structures, e.g., lamp poles, ceiling fan supports, etc., could benefit from the attractive appearance which may be provided by means of an illuminated translucent structure, but little, if anything, has been done in this field.
A universal characteristic of such structures and devices is their lack of integral illumination to provide internal lighting from the device or structure itself, as noted above. Heretofore, when the need for illuminating such structures was perceived, all lighting has been accomplished by means of additional external, supplementary lighting directed at the structure or device, and/or the application of reflective or phosphorescent coatings of some sort to the structure or device.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for illuminated translucent structures and devices, comprising an elongate translucent or transparent member having a passage or channel formed therein or therealong for placement of an electrical conductor therein. The electrical conductor channel is preferably concealed by some means, such as reflective material surrounding the channel, or an opaque structural member installed within the channel or within the body of the translucent member, in order to conceal the electrical wiring therein. The exterior of the translucent member may be covered by a generally solid structural tubular member for greater structural strength, with the tubular member having one or more light passages formed therethrough to produce a patterned light emission from the translucent element carried therein. Such translucent elements having surrounding solid tubular structures with light passages formed therein, serve well as structural guard rails, bannisters, bumper and grill guards, etc.
All of the above described devices are easily illuminated by means of light emitting diodes (hereinafter known as xe2x80x9cLEDsxe2x80x9d throughout the remainder of the disclosure), or other lighting means, as desired. The provision of electrical conductors extending through or along the translucent member, enables LEDs or other lighting means to be installed at various points along the assembly, to maintain illumination along the entire assembly.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventors are aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,532,874 issued on Oct. 6, 1970 to Robert S. Rosenast, titled xe2x80x9cDecorative Structure,xe2x80x9d describes a device having a series of concentric, telescoping tubes formed of clear or opaque plastic material, with a series of flexible fiberoptic strands disposed between each concentric pair of tubes. The outer tubes are shorter than the inner tubes, with the flexible fiberoptic strands extending from the space between the end of each outer tube and the upstanding wall of the next innermost tube, in a spreading array. Rosenast provides active lighting for his decorative assembly from only one end thereof, and does not disclose any form of a passage through or along the structural members of the device for the installation of electrical wiring therein, nor does he provide any lighting means at the opposite end of the assembly from the single active lighting source disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,692 issued on Apr. 30, 1985 to Alexandra Kuhnsman et al., titled xe2x80x9cIlluminatable Pet Leash,xe2x80x9d describes a flexible leash device having an external transparent plastic tube formed of Tygon(copyright) plastic material, with a series of fiberoptic strands contained therein. Kuhnsman et al. provide a light source at the handle end of the leash, which shines axially along the fiberoptic strands. However, no rigid structure, electrical wiring and passage therefor, nor illumination at opposite ends of the elongate device (or portion thereof), is provided by Kuhnsman et al., as is provided by the present invention in its various embodiments.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,973 issued on May 21, 1991 to Thomas P. Hager et al., titled xe2x80x9cCable Reinforcement For An Optical Fiber Cable,xe2x80x9d describes a glass fiberoptic strand surrounded by a yarn having a glass fiber weave therein. The assembly is then covered with a polyethylene sleeve and heated to fuse the synthetic yarn fibers with the outer polyethylene sleeve. The result is a relatively stiff fiberoptic cable structure which protects the inner glass fiberoptic strand due to the glass fibers fused with the outer sleeve during the heating process. Hager et al. do not disclose any form of lighting for their cable, and particularly do not provide any means for transmitting electrical power through their cable to provide active illumination at both cable ends, or section thereof. The present invention includes such electrical conductor channel means therein, and comprises a rigid structure which provides side lighting, unlike the Hager et al. cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,119 issued on Oct. 22, 1991 to Mellapalayam R. Parthasarathy, titled xe2x80x9cLight Pipe For Decorative Illumination,xe2x80x9d describes a series of embodiments, each incorporating internal and external components having different indices of refraction. The two components are tapered to have a conical shape, resulting in light scattering along the length of the light pipes as the light progresses toward the narrower end of the internal component. While Parthasarathy discloses a central structural member in one embodiment, he does not disclose any conduit passage through his solid core light pipes, and his tapered structure teaches away from lighting the device from both ends.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,400 issued on Feb. 27, 1996 to Joseph E. Currie, titled xe2x80x9cOptical Fiber Illumination Device,xe2x80x9d describes a series of embodiments of an optical fiber lighting system for use with motor vehicles. The device may be used as supplemental illumination for such vehicles, in the manner of side marker lights on the sides of pickup truck boxes and the like. Means are disclosed for activating and deactivating the lighting in concert with operation of parking lights, brake lights, turn signals, and other vehicle lighting, as desired. While Currie discloses a slotted opaque structure enclosing the fiberoptic lighting device therein, he does not provide any means of conducting electrical power through the fiberoptic device for energizing light sources at opposite ends of the device, as provided by the present invention.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,517 issued on Jan. 16, 2001 to Wolfgang Eibner et al., titled xe2x80x9cLuminous Display Element With A Light Coupled Into A Light Conducting Housing,xe2x80x9d describes a series of embodiments of a translucent light assembly having a light emitting element (surface mounted LED array) therein. Eibner et al. teach away from the present invention due to the lighting element(s) being installed within the translucent member of the device. The present invention does not include any lighting elements therein, but rather provides a channel or guide for an electrical conductor(s) running through the translucent member, in order to provide electrical power for lighting units at opposite ends of the device, and/or at joints therealong.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus illuminated translucent devices solving the aforementioned problems are desired.
The present invention comprises a number of different embodiments of an illuminated translucent device, having an elongate translucent body which is illuminated at each end (and/or at some intermediate location) thereof. A first end may include a first lighting element therewith, oriented to direct light into the end of the translucent body, and at least one distal second lighting element at the opposite end of the translucent member. The translucent member includes a passage or channel formed therethrough or therealong, for an electrical conductor(s) for providing power to the distal second lighting element at the opposite end or location removed from the first lighting element.
Preferably, the passage for the electrical conductor(s) is concealed by providing some form of reflective coating surrounding the internal passage or external channel, rendering the area immediately around the passage or channel, opaque. A tubular structural member (e.g., steel tube, etc.) may be installed within a central channel, providing additional structural strength as well as concealing any wiring elements extending through the channel. Alternatively, the translucent material itself may be treated to produce an effect which conceals the inner structure thereof.
The present invention may also be combined with a solid, opaque tubular member installed thereover, to provide the desired structural strength for use in guard rails, vehicle bumper and grille guards and other similar structures, etc. The opaque external member includes at least one light passage formed through the wall thereof, allowing light to escape from the translucent member therein to illuminate the structure. Different colored lighting, including control by timer or other means, may be applied to any of the embodiments of the present invention as desired.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide various embodiments of illuminated translucent devices, each including an elongate translucent member having first lighting means at a first end thereof, at least secondary lighting means at a distal location therein or at a distal second end thereof, a channel formed therein for an electrical conductor(s) for energizing the distal secondary lighting means, and means for concealing the channel.
It is another object of the invention to provide such illuminated translucent devices incorporating various lighting principles, but most preferably incorporating LED lighting means therewith, with the LED lights directed into opposite ends of the translucent member.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an opaque structural member surrounding the central translucent element, with the opaque structural member having at least one light passage formed through the wall thereof.
Still another object of the invention is to provide additional options for the present invention, including installation of a hollow structural tube within or surrounding the passage through the illuminated member, concentric illuminated members having lighting passages formed therethrough, and colored lighting.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification and drawings.